Huston Street, who emerged as the closing reliever for the Oakland Athletics in the second month of the 2005 season, was named the American League winner of the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Street, 22, was listed first on 15 of 28 ballots submitted by two writers from each league city, along with six votes for second and four for third to total 97 points, based on the 5-3-1 tabulation system. The righthander replaced injured Octavio Dotel as Oakland’s closer in May and went on to a 5-1 record with 23 saves in 27 opportunities, a 1.72 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings. Opponents batted .194 against Street, whose ERA was second only to the New York Yankees’ Mariano Rivera (1.38) among AL closers.

Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano (.297, 34 2B, 14 HR, 62 RBI) finished second in the voting with 57 points, including four first-place votes. Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes (.282, 21 HR, 54 RBI) was third with 39 points, including two first-place votes. Chicago White Sox second baseman Tadahito Iguchi (.278, 15 HR, 71 RBI, 15 SB) received five first-place votes but was named on only three other ballots and ranked fourth. The other two first-place votes went to Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Gustavo Chacin (13-9, 3.72 ERA), who finished fifth overall.

Street is the seventh Athletics player honored, and the second consecutively, following Bobby Crosby. Other A’s winners were Philadelphia’s Harry Byrd and Oakland’s Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Walt Weiss and Ben Grieve. Street is the third closer to win the award, joining Kazu Sasaki of the Seattle Mariners in 2000 and Gregg Olson of the Baltimore Orioles in 1989. The Yankees’ Dave Righetti was a starter when he won the award in 1981.

The vote:

Previous winners (*—Unanimous):
2004 BOBBY CROSBY, Oakland Athletics; 2003 ANGEL BERROA, Kansas City Royals; 2002 ERIC HINSKE, Toronto Blue Jays; 2001 ICHIRO SUZUKI, Seattle Mariners; 2000 KAZU SASAKI, Seattle Mariners; 1999 CARLOS BELTRAN, Kansas City Royals; 1998 BEN GRIEVE, Oakland Athletics; 1997 *NOMAR GARCIAPARRA, Boston Red Sox; 1996 *DEREK JETER, New York Yankees; 1995 MARTY CORDOVA, Minnesota Twins; 1994 BOB HAMELIN, Kanas City Royals; 1993 *TIM SALMON, California Angels; 1992 PAT LISTACH, Milwaukee Brewers; 1991 CHUCK KNOBLAUCH, Minnesota Twins; 1990 *SANDY ALOMAR, Jr., Cleveland Indians; 1989 GREGG OLSON, Baltimore Orioles; 1988 WALT WEISS, Oakland Athletics; 1987 *MARK McGWIRE, Oakland Athletics; 1986 JOSE CANSECO, Oakland Athletics; 1985 OZZIE GUILLEN, Chicago White Sox; 1984 ALVIN DAVIS, Seattle Mariners; 1983 RON KITTLE, Chicago White Sox; 1982 CAL RIPKEN Jr., Baltimore Orioles; 1981 DAVE RIGHETTI, New York Yankees; 1980 JOE CHARBONEAU, Cleveland Indians; 1979 (Tie) JOHN CASTINO, Minnesota Twins, and ALFREDO GRIFFIN, Toronto Blue Jays; 1978 LOU WHITAKER, Detroit Tigers; 1977 EDDIE MURRAY, Baltimore Orioles; 1976 MARK FIDRYCH, Detroit Tigers; 1975 FRED LYNN, Boston Red Sox; 1974 MIKE HARGROVE, Texas Rangers; 1973 AL BUMBRY, Baltimore Orioles; 1972 *CARLTON FISK, Boston Red Sox; 1971 CHRIS CHAMBLISS, Cleveland Indians; 1970 THURMAN MUNSON, New York Yankees; 1969 LOU PINIELLA, Kansas City Royals; 1968 STAN BAHNSEN, New York Yankees; 1967 ROD CAREW, Minnesota Twins; 1966 TOMMIE AGEE, Chicago White Sox; 1965 CURT BLEFARY, Baltimore Orioles; 1964 TONY OLIVA, Minnesota Twins; 1963 GARY PETERS, Chicago White Sox; 1962 TOM TRESH, New York Yankees; 1961 DON SCHWALL, Boston Red Sox; 1960 RON HANSEN, Baltimore Orioles; 1959 BOB ALLISON, Washington Senators; 1958 ALBIE PEARSON, Washington Senators; 1957 TONY KUBEK, New York Yankees; 1956 LUIS APARICIO, Chicago White Sox; 1955 HERB SCORE, Cleveland Indians; 1954 BOB GRIM, New York Yankees; 1953 HARVEY KUENN, Detroit Tigers; 1952 HARRY BYRD, Philadelphia Athletics; 1951 GIL McDOUGALD, New York Yankees; 1950 WALT DROPO, Boston Red Sox; 1949 ROY SIEVERS, St. Louis Browns.